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| Lált Vinalopo |
To the west of the Alicante province, the region
of L’Alt Vinalopó
includes the urban centres of Villena
and Sax. The area has a combination
of steep mountain ranges and fertile, cultivated
plains created by the Vinalopó
River which runs through L’Alt
Vinalopó. This inland region is far less
visited than those closer to the coast and there
are some lovely towns and villages waiting to
be discovered. Being a crossroads of sorts, lying
at the borders of Valencia, Murcia
and Castile, the region has a
rich history and towns are often characterized
by the presence of Moorish castles. |
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Villena
The capital of L’Alt Vinalopó with
a population of 32,000, Villena is an important
communications centre, serving as a crossroads
between Castile, Murcia and Valencia. Due to its
position, the city has a rich history and continues
to thrive today. There are several historic buildings
of interest to be found here amongst the architecture
of modern day Villena. The town is spread out
around an ancient Moorish castle, L’Atalaya,
an imposing building with battlements and a double
enclosured wall that has witnessed many historic
battles. A combination of Gothic and Renaissance
architecture can be found at the church of Santa
Maria, with its tall vaulted domes supported by
graceful twisted columns. The Chapí Theatre,
named after the musical genius Ruperto Chapí
who was a native of Villena, is a quirky building.
It was built in the early twentieth century over
a number of years in a variety of architectural
styles, the result is an art deco kind of flavour.
An interesting Festival Museum is located in Santiago
Square, displaying collections of old costumes
and posters from the traditional Moors and Christians
Festival that is played out annually in towns
and villages across the entire region.
5km from Villena is the village of Canada with
a population of 1500. Its white houses are clustered
around a hill, the top of which is a sanctuary
to the Virgin del Carmen, the patron saint of
sailors. In July, a fiesta in her honour takes
place. The Mystery Play is also celebrated enthusiastically
in Canada.
Villena has all the amenities you would expect
from a large and modern town, with a national
railway and good road connections.
It is 59 km to Alicante Airport on the N330 Motorway.
The nearest golf course is Alenda Golf Club, 40km
away.
Paragliding is popular is the Sierra de la Villa
nearby.
A weekly market takes place on Thursdays. |
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14km northeast of Villena, the
village of Benejama was originally
an Arab farmstead. Its now a large village with
about 2000 inhabitants. There are Moorish towers
in the area, the Atalaya and the Negret, which
would have served to protect the farmhouse. The
proximity of Sierra Solana means that there are
many opportunities for hiking as well as paragliding
and hang-gliding and nearby caves are used for
potholing.
Benejama has shops, hostels and a museum. The
large towns of Villena and Alcoi are both about
20km away.
Alicante is 72km away, Benidorm is 112km away,
the road links to the nearest motorways are efficient.
Nearest golf courses are Alenda Golf Club: 50km,
or Club de Golf Bonalba and Alicante Golf: 70km.
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Sax
The town of hugs the base of a striking outcrop
of rock, the summit of which bears a fourteenth
century castle. The name of the town itself is
derived from the Latin word Saxum, meaning rocky
place. The castle is heavily fortified with battlements
and towers; it is an impressive landmark by day
or by night, when it is lit up. An enormous snow
well was built in the rocks in the 17th Century,
it was used to store snow to provide the town
with water in the summer months.
Sax is situated next to the N330 motorway which
runs straight into Alicante, 32km away.
The nearest golf course is Alenda Golf Club, 15km
away.
Shops and other amenities are adequate, the large
urban centres of Elda and Petrer are 11km away. |
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Salinas
The village of Salinas is in a fairly isolated
position, near the Sierra Salinas, 22km west of
Sax. The village used to lie on the shores of
the nearby Laguna de Salinas, a salt lake. The
village was rebuilt in its present location in
the 18th century when the lake rose, flooding
Salinas and killing most of the inhabitants.
Salinas is 20km from the urban centres of Villena,
Elda and Monovar and 49km from Alicante.
It is reached by a winding highway that runs between
Sax and Monovar.
A market is held every day except Tuesday, Friday
being the best day to visit.
Nearest golf course is Alenda Golf Club, approximately
40km away. |
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| Towns and villages |
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| Beneixama |
| Cañada |
| Salinas |
| Sax |
| Villena |
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